Can engage to prefer their own Happiness before SER M. their own Destruction.

But if We view the fame Restoration, in another Light, as the Restoration of our Legal Conftitution, fecured by the late Revolution, and fixed by the Settlement of the Crown in the Proteftant Line; it appears a Bleffing to Us indeed, by leading Us to the Happiness which We ourselves at prefent fee, and feel; but cannot describe.

We have now, therefore, by an easy and natural Train of Facts, brought down our Thoughts to the present Times, in which our Eyes behold the Grand Defign of this Day', brought to Maturity; and Plenty of Happiness held forth to Us, if We have any Senfe or Notion left of what Happiness means, by the Proteftant Succeffion now taking place. A Bleffing recommended to Us, by the immense Difficulties caft in its Way, before it could be fettled by a Law; and the various Hazards of lofing it, fince it was fo! And a Bleffing, which, unlike the other Bleffings of this World, fully answers, in the Enjoyment, all the Expectations which it raised in the Profpect.

If it be the greatest Happiness that can be tasted in Human Society, to be governed by Laws; We feel our felves, and all our Concerns, under the Influence of a Legal Govern

ment.

XII.

SER M. ment. If it be certain, that Thofe Princes are XII. beft qualified to govern well by Written Laws,

who have governed well without them; this is a peculiar Part of our Happiness, to have the Execution of our Laws, and the Prefervation of our Rights, vested in a Prince, who never betrayed, even when his Will was his Law, the least Inclination towards any Defigns, but what are the Dictates of the ftricteft Juftice. And if it redoubles a Bleffing, to forefee it flourishing amongst our Pofterity in future Ages; let this be acknowledged a great Addition to our present Happiness, that We may promise it to our Children after Us, under the Influences of Thofe who are to fucceed Him.

This is fuch a Syftem, fuch a Collection of Blefings, as ought, in Juftice, to be viewed with the most paffionate Sentiments of Joy and Thanksgiving. A King upon the Throne, formed for the Happiness of All, who live under the Shadow of his Authority: By his experienced Virtues, entitled to the Love and Affection of his Subjects; and by the Laws of their Country, (built upon the Fundamental Laws of Human Society) entitled to their Allegiance: Great in Himfelf, if the Perfection of Justice, and Honour, and Equity, be true Greatness; and Great in his Illuftrious Family, if the Prospect of tranfmitting Bleffings to Pofterity, by

a Line of Princes defcending from Himfelf, SER M. makes up any Part of Greatnefs: And, in a pe- xII. culiar Manner, Great in his Influences upon the prefent State of this Nation, as He stands poffeffed of an unfhaken Steadiness of Soul, not to be moved from his People's Intereft; and of a Firmnefs of Mind, uncapable of the Impreffions, either of Fear, or of Inconftancy. Without which Noble and Happy Accomplishments in the First Poffeffor in that Illuftrious House, which the Providence of God hath now fixed upon the Throne, it may justly be feared, that this Happy Settlement might by this Time have been Shaken, and the Bleffings of the Protef tant Religion, and our Legal Liberty (for which We have been fo many Years contending,) might once more have been in danger of vanishing from our Sight.

And even ftill, the Sufpicion of So much Happiness Ceafing in Time to come, might be very uneafy to Us, if We did not fee, in his Royal Heir, and Succeffor, a Noble and Generous Zeal, avowed with all the Tokens of the moft Sincere and Upright Heart, for the fame invaluable Goods.

Nor will I ever omit, when I am recounting the Inftances of our Publick Happiness, to mention that Race of Princes to come: From Whom, what is it that We may not expect? When

S

SERM. When We not only think of the Examples of XII. Good Government they will have Seen; but

confider them now under the Eye and Direction of a Princess, in whom the Perfection of Good Sense, and the Perfection of Good Nature, are united; and out done by nothing, unless by that Sacred Regard to True Religion, which will make her Story the Delight of Good Men in Ages to come.

This is the Fabrick of Happiness in which our Souls may take their Reft. How much lefs than this, might We our Selves have been well contented to hope for: And indeed, What more than this, could any Nation under Heaven well wish for? And yet, Againft this whole Scheme of Bleffings; against their own, and their Neighbours Security; against their own Laws and Liberties; against the Eftablishment of every thing valuable in this World, We have seen a Rebellion raised, by the Wicked Perverseness of Men, without the Pretenfe of a Provocation, befides the fingle Provocation of offering them Happiness, in a Way, and by the Hands, which They were not pleased to like: And this, before their Paffions had any thing offered to them, to fet them on Fire. And We have Seen an Adminiftration reviled, and infulted, by Thofe, who themselves had tafted nothing but Good from it.

When

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When one reflects with Coolness upon what SERM. hath lately paft amongst Us, it seems as if the XII. Fullness of Happiness had it self set on fire the restless Malice of Thofe, who were refolved not to acknowledge or enjoy the Bleffing offered them; and that the Rage of Enmity hath been forced to be raised the higher, and the louder, by all the Management of Artifice, because there was fo little to Complain of.

But this is the Glory of an Adminiftration; when Those who moft revile it, cannot do it without bearing Teftimony to it themselves. It is the Glory of an Administration, when the Reproaches, with which it is to be loaded, are caft into Future Times; when the bitterest Enemies it hath, are forced to call in the Help of the most fruitful Invention; and, for want of prefent Grievances, to fill the Minds of Men with the Sufpicions of Evils to come. It is the Glory of an Administration, when, before it can be blackened, and made vile, the Names, and Natures, and Boundaries of Things, must be altered and removed: Light put for Darkness, and Darkness for Light; Legal Juftice, (though mixed with more Temper, than ever yet was seen, in any Nation, upon a upon a like Occasion,) treated with the Indignity, due only to the Heighth of Injustice; the most neceffary Self-defence reviled as Cruelty; and a Falfe Compaffion placed